Friday Flashback: Marking the Oregon Trail Near Palmyra, Nebraska

Friday Flashback: Marking the Oregon Trail Near Palmyra, Nebraska

If you did not know what you were looking for, you would drive right by. The rock almost blends in to fields behind. And all you can really see from the road is the monument. You cannot really tell what is signified. Until you get closer.

And if you are willing to climb up and down the ditch (or if you have a good zoom on your camera), you will finally be able to see the details on this monument.

Commemorations of a trip west long ago. A plaque was not readily evident, although supposedly there. And I looked for wagon ruts, but all I could see was crops. Trying to figure out when the monument was placed was a challenge. On Virtual Nebraska: Palmyra, I found this information.

A “big affair” was featured at the 1933 picnic, when a monument was dedicated on the Douglas Road south of town, marking the early westward trail from Nebraska City to Denver. Built from stones gathered from the foundation of the Oakley store, a bronze plaque commemorates “…the second night stop” along that trail. For the 100th anniversary of the event, observed June 13-14, 1987, Palmyra’s senior citizen, 96-year-old Dick Nash, was chosen Grand Marshal of the “Parade of the Century.”

I called Otoe County offices, and they referred me to the Palmyra City Office. The lady who answered the phone kindly offered to do some checking for me. She found the exact some information that I had found. There may be further insight to be found at the Palmyra City Library, but for now I get to be content with what I could find.

The lesson I learned – you never what piece of history you are driving by every day.

P.S. Thanks to our dear neighbors, the Thomsons, for telling us about the sign!